Family of activist slain in 1975 surprised by clemency granted to Leonard Peltier

For the family of Anna Mae Pictou Aquash, the news that President Biden had granted clemency to Native American activist Leonard Peltier shortly before leaving office came as a surprise.

"We were not given a head's up as a family, in terms of being trauma informed," said Denise Pictou Maloney, daughter of Pictou Aquash. 

Peltier had been serving life in prison for the deaths of two FBI agents agents during a standoff on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota in 1975. He will transition to home confinement to finish his life sentence.

Pictou Aquash was killed in December 1975, around the same time the shootout in Pine Ridge happened. She was 30 and a mother of two from Sipekneꞌkatik First Nation in Nova Scotia. Decades later, two American Indian Movement members were convicted in her death: Arlo Looking Cloud in 2004, and John Graham in 2010. 

Pictou Maloney says her family always held onto the belief that Peltier was involved in her mother's death, saying that members of the American Indian Movement feared she was an FBI informant.

"There was a gun point interrogation and it wasn't just once, it was multiple times," said Pictou Maloney. 

"They all knew that it was not the FBI that shot my mother, that it was Indigenous — their own members within the American Indian Movement — [who] killed her.

"[Peltier] knew about what happened to my mom and at least was complicit and obstructed justice by not saying anything for 28 years." 

Last July, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) rescinded a 1987 resolution demanding Peltier's extradition to Canada, and a 1999 resolution demanding the activist be freed.

AFN did not respond to a request for comment by time of publishing. 

Childhood memories

At the peak of the American Indian Movement, Pictou Aquash spent much of her time travelling around the United States, often with her children by her side. 

Her daughter recalls being at the 1970 Thanksgiving takeover of the Mayflower 2 in Massachusetts — a replica of the ship that brought pilgrims to America. 

"We were also at the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C.," she said.

"We travelled as a caravan and we were in the building when they were ransacking [it]."

While life on the road with AIM was exciting, Pictou Maloney says her mother always prioritized the safety of her children. 

"She would not take us into a place where she felt that we were going to be at harm," she said.

That's why the last memory she holds of her mother stands out. 

"The last time I saw her, she got on her knees in front of us and talked to me and said, 'I need you to be the older sibling and look after your sister,'" said Pictou Maloney.

"She also said, 'Don't ever lie; always speak the truth.'" 

Now, decades later, she believes her mother knew she was in trouble, and that it was the last time she'd see her children. 

'Justice has been served' 

Peltier's supporters pushed for him to be freed because of his age, and has health problems. He was denied parole in July 2024, and was not eligible for parole again until 2026. 

"I would say justice has been served; he's where he's supposed to be," said Pictou Maloney. 

"They did not pardon him. He's still a convicted felon. He has not had his sentence reduced. He still has to serve out the rest of his sentence." 

For another Canadian, Peltier's clemency is a step toward justice for an unfair trial. 

"Some people were very happy and pleased about it, and there were … other people of course that weren't," Viola Papequash told CBC Radio's Midday Cafe host Leonard Linklater.

Papequash is the ex-partner of John Graham, who was convicted in Pictou Aquash's murder. 

"For me personally, I have compassion and … I can't have that hate and love inside of myself at the same time." 

For some Native Americans south of the border, reaction to Peltier's clemency has been difficult to navigate. 

Many believe he wasn't given a fair trial, but also recognize he may have played a role in Pictou Aquash's death. 

"My heart and love goes out to those who feel the pain and anger associated with Peltier's clemency due to the stories of his involvement in Annie Mae Aquash's murder," wrote actor Dallas Goldtooth on Facebook. 

"My celebration for Peltier's clemency is not done so blindly. He served almost 50 years in prison based on false testimony and evidence." 

Goldtooth also says Peltier's case highlights a bigger problem with how Indigenous women are treated. 

"I do not absolve the toxic patriarchy of AIM leaders of the time and in our communities today. I do not ignore the ongoing violence against Indigenous women," wrote Goldtooth.